Lawyers Accuse Judiciary of Condoning Torture

Lawyers Accuse Judiciary of Condoning Torture

Lawyers have faulted the Directorate of Public Prosecution for condoning torture by allowing tortured suspects to be arraigned in court.

The lawyers under their group, Network of Public Interest Lawyers says the courts of law are not ensuring justice and have resorted to hearing cases of suspects with torture marks instead of taking them to hospital.

Speaking at a Press conference at Makerere, Arthur Nsereko, the coordinator of the Network of Public Interest lawyers also questioned why the DPP arraigns the tortured suspects before the courts of law. Nsereko says such an action is equivalent to condoning torture.

He also condemned the continued use of excessive force and acts of torture on suspects, the media and opposition.

Nsereko says that they are considering a petition against security officers who tortured protestors in Kampala.

Solomon Muyita, the Spokesperson of the Judiciary says the courts cannot work on assumptions that some suspects were tortured. He says it is the duty of the lawyers of the suspects to inform the courts.

He, however, cited the court in Gulu which gave orders to Prisons Authority to take the suspects at the health facility of their choice.

He, however, added that treason suspects cannot, for instance, be released to seek medical attention by a magistrate's court.